N3622C

On May 7, 2000, at 1135 mountain daylight time, a Cessna R182 single-engine airplane, N3622C, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain following an encounter with adverse weather while landing at Monument Valley Airport, Monument Valley, Utah. The airline transport pilot and two passengers were not injured, and one passenger sustained minor injuries. The airplane was owned by a private individual and operated by West Wind Aviation, Inc., of Phoenix, Arizona. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a VFR flight plan was filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135 air taxi flight. The sightseeing flight departed from the Sedona Airport, near Sedona, Arizona, approximately 0900.

According to the 8,000-hour pilot, he had experienced "extremely unpredictable winds" at the Monument Valley Airport (elevation 5,192 feet) the day before the accident. He added that he overflew the airport to check "all available wind information." The pilot said that the "windsock at the west end (nearest the cliffs) was indicating a very strong wind from the northwest. He added that the "windsock at mid-field was also indicating strong northwest wind; however, the windsock was fluctuating 20 to 30 degrees back and forth." The pilot indicated that he applied full flaps on final approach. He stated that the approach to Monument Valley Airport "appeared normal when suddenly he hit severe turbulence." The pilot added that it took full control inputs to establish a wings-level attitude. He stated that he noticed the airspeed fluctuate between 50 and 70 knots, and he advanced the power; however, a "tremendous sink rate was developing." The pilot continued to increase power, and the airplane touched down "very hard" on the 4,000-foot dirt runway, bounced into the air, and the pilot executed a go-around. At an altitude of less than 100 feet agl, the pilot began "a shallow left turn to avoid a thousand foot cliff" that was in the flight path. During the turn, the aircraft "developed a sink rate that was uncontrollable." The pilot leveled the wings for an off-field landing. The airplane touched down off-field with full power applied, "slid to the left" during the landing roll, and impacted a small hill damaging the right wing.

At 1155, the weather at the Blanding Municipal Airport, Blanding, Utah, (approximately 48 nautical miles northeast of the accident site) was reported as wind from 220 degrees at 15 knots gusting to 20 knots, 50 statue miles visibility, scattered clouds at 9,000 feet agl, a broken ceiling at 14,000 feet agl, temperature 72 degrees Fahrenheit, and dewpoint 28 degrees Fahrenheit.